Nyetimber releases £75 sparkling wine

English sparkling wine estate Nyetimber in West Sussex has released its first single vineyard sparkler onto the market, priced at £75 a bottle.

Nyetimber Tillington Single Vineyard 2009

A blend of 79% Pinot Noir and 21% Chardonnay from the estate’s 37.3-hectare Netherland vineyard, Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 will go on sale next month through Liberty Wines.

Modelled on the “clos” concept in Champagne, just 2,900 individually numbered bottles have been made, with only 2,500 bottles set for release.

The wine is named after the village where the Netherland vineyard is located.

Nyetimber’s decision to make Tillington came after chief winemaker Cherie Spriggs was “blown away” by the quality of the Pinot Noir grapes from the Netherland vineyard.

“The Pinot Noir grapes and stood out as being absolutely glorious. The fruit was so good that I wanted to do something with it in isolation as a real expression of place,” Spriggs told the drinks business earlier this year.

“We’re incredibly proud of the wine, which we see as a true reflection of a single expression of a single terroir.

“We wanted to do something in the clos model that really gives an expression of a place, and I think we’ve achieved that. It’s such a powerful wine,” she added.

According to Spriggs, the nose boasts aromas of “toasted crème brûlée and meringue,” while “strawberry, cherry, mandarin, pastry and a hint of vanilla” can be found on the palate.

“Tillington underlines Nyetimber’s dedication to the highest attention to detail and expression of flavour,” said David Gleave MW, managing director of Liberty.

Spriggs made the bold decision of not making any wine in 2012, as the quality of the grapes wasn’t up to the estate’s standards due to poor weather conditions.

Tillington 2009 will be launched to the trade at the Liberty Wines portfolio tasting on 10 September.